Chapter 108: Birthday Wishes

In the kitchen, Shao Anhong was in charge of cooking, Shu Ran and Shu Yutian were selecting vegetables and running errands, while Fu Yiqing handled the chopping. Everyone was bustling about in a rare scene of lively activity within the villa.

Shu Yutian picked out the withered yellow leaves and casually remarked, “Your mother and I wanted to surprise you, so we didn’t let Coach Fu tell you we were coming to City B for the New Year. Looks like you were planning to surprise us too?”

Shu Ran couldn’t help but recall the earlier mix-up at the airport and shot Fu Yiqing a glance filled with suppressed laughter.

Fu Yiqing caught her amused look, shrugged, and kept chopping.

Shu Yutian naturally noticed the subtle interaction between the two. He frowned slightly and cleared his throat. “By the way, Ranran, your birthday is tomorrow. What do you want for your birthday?”

Before Shu Ran could answer, Shao Anhong interrupted, “Didn’t you already buy something? Why ask again?”

Shu Yutian replied, “I can buy a new one, or give it next year.”

Perhaps because it had been so long since they’d spent time with their parents, Shu Ran suddenly felt as if her parents had become more lively, even a bit playful.

Seeing them drifting off-topic, Shu Ran quickly interjected, “Mom, Dad, you haven’t really explored City B yet, have you?”

Both nodded.

Shu Ran and Fu Yiqing exchanged a glance, and Fu Yiqing took over, “That’s perfect. After we have New Year’s Eve dinner tomorrow, I’ll drive you all to the City B Lantern Festival.”

Shao Anhong asked, “Lantern Festival?”

Shu Ran nodded. “You know how people say the New Year’s atmosphere has been fading these past couple of years? Well, when ‘That One Street’ was completed, they held a lantern festival. Though called a lantern festival, it’s basically people setting up stalls to sell things—mostly just to create some lively buzz.”

Hearing this, Shao Anhong and Shu Yutian perked up.

Shao Anhong said, “That sounds like a nice event.”

The next day, after the New Year’s Eve dinner and celebrating Shu Ran’s birthday, the four headed to ‘That One Street.’

At first, Shu Ran was very reluctant to go out, but with Fu Yiqing’s persuasion, she bundled herself up tightly and stepped outside. The temperature was a harsh minus fifteen degrees Celsius. The Shu couple shivered as soon as they stepped out.

“Though there’s heating in the north, it’s just too cold outside,” Shao Anhong said, her speech slightly slurred from the cold. “Let’s just walk quickly and head back.”

But after barely five steps, Shao Anhong turned around, “Forget it, you two go ahead. It’s too cold.”

She was about to head back when Shu Yutian stopped her. “It’s rare for the whole family to go out together. Wouldn’t it be dull if you didn’t go?”

In the end, Shao Anhong got into the car, wrapping her arms tightly around herself. “I’ll walk around a bit, then wait in the car for you.”

In the front seats, Shu Ran and Fu Yiqing exchanged knowing smiles.

They had arrived early; many vendors hadn’t even set up yet, so Shao Anhong quickly lost interest and returned to the car to wait.

Shu Yutian, however, wasn’t ready to leave. He followed Shu Ran and Fu Yiqing closely, occasionally glancing at them with a strange look before quickly averting his gaze when they noticed.

Gradually, more people arrived.

Shu Ran’s eye caught sight of an air gun, and her playful spirit was instantly ignited. She grabbed it and aimed at the balloons, firing a shot.

But the balloons didn’t even twitch.

Fu Yiqing chuckled softly and reached to take the air gun from her, but Shu Ran, looking serious, stepped aside and said, “I can do this.”

He let her be, standing by to watch her take her shot.

Shu Ran raised the air gun, closed her left eye tightly, and amidst the surrounding laughter and bustle, she stood perfectly still, undistracted by the noise, squinting as she prepared to aim.

Fu Yiqing couldn’t help but be drawn to her intensity—a dangerous aura that seemed far beyond her years.

With two sharp “bangs,” two balloons popped with piercing cracks.

The dangerous aura vanished instantly from Shu Ran’s face. Her eyes curved into a smile, her expression lively and radiant.

Fu Yiqing was stunned for a moment before realizing she had succeeded.

The vendor, equally surprised, handed her a teddy bear and said, “Young lady, you’re really good.”

Shu Ran smiled proudly, took the plush, and thanked the vendor.

“Coach Fu, Dad, we…” Before she could finish, Shu Ran suddenly realized her father was missing. “Dad?”

She spun around, but no trace of Shu Yutian was in sight.

Fu Yiqing turned to look and saw a teddy bear rolling in the middle of the road. He said, “Don’t worry, just make a call.”

On the other end, Shu Yutian explained that he had stopped to look at some roadside trinkets and lost track of them. He had even followed two people with similar builds for a while before realizing his mistake, so now he was just waiting in the car.

Shu Ran had come out mainly for her parents, but now that they’d lost interest in shopping, her thoughts gradually turned toward going home.

Back at the villa, as they turned on the TV, the familiar voice of the Spring Festival Gala hosts filled the room. The Shu couple sighed contentedly, “Home is truly the best.”

Shu Ran wasn’t particularly interested in the Gala, so after sitting with her parents on the couch for a while, she returned to her room.

After showering, she discovered two special New Year’s greetings awaiting her.

One was from the championship squad.

All members except Shu Ran had sent identical videos, tagging her in the messages.

Curious, she opened the video.

On the ice rink, Zhu Hongzhe was skating to a soulful melody, his expressionless face strangely tinged with melancholy.

Shu Ran quickly sensed something off.

Before she could grasp it, Chen Lecheng joined the performance, followed by Wu Xincheng and Shen Yu.

Usually, skaters make full use of the entire rink, but these four each occupied roughly a third of the ice.

Could it be that they were performing this routine to wish her a happy birthday?

Shu Ran thought the possibility was very high.

Although she hadn’t seen them in a long time, they often mentioned her in group chats, sent holiday wishes, and cared about her withdrawal and return.

Each had achieved much more than her, yet after gaining fame, they still remembered her and treated her like a true friend. Many can share hardship, but few share prosperity.

As teammates, they sincerely hoped she’d fulfill her dreams on ice.

As friends, they genuinely wished her health and happiness.

Though she saw through their intentions, Shu Ran was deeply moved.

As the music ended, Shen Yu slowly exited the rink while the other three skated toward the edges. Suddenly, a dark liquid fell from above.

Shu Ran stared, stunned.

What was that supposed to mean?

The smooth ice couldn’t hold the ink, and it quickly spread out.

Then, to her amazement, four large black characters appeared on the pristine ice: “Happy Birthday.”

They had used their blades to etch the message by disrupting the ice surface.

Though Shu Ran had guessed their purpose, she hadn’t anticipated this move, so their surprise was perfectly achieved.

“Shu Ran, happy birthday, and happy New Year!”

Their voices seemed faint in the vast rink.

Tears welled in Shu Ran’s eyes, blurring her vision, though they hadn’t yet spilled. Suddenly, an angry shout erupted from the video.

“Who told you to do this?!”

Chen Lecheng instantly wiped the smile from his face and exclaimed in panic, “Co…Coach?”

Wu Xincheng’s shoulders twitched as he quickly responded, “It was him.”

Chen Lecheng followed suit, “It was him.”

The coach’s voice came from offscreen, directed at Shen Yu, who instinctively looked down. Before he could say a word, he choked on his saliva and began coughing violently.

His reaction didn’t sound like he was defending Zhu Hongzhe; it almost confirmed Zhu’s guilt.

The video ended there.

Shu Ran’s heartwarming moment was ruined by the last act, leaving her both amused and exasperated. She couldn’t help but ask in the group chat, “So what happened to Zhu Hongzhe in the end?”

Chen Lecheng: “Nothing serious, just got a good scolding.”

Zhu Hongzhe: “Just a scolding?”

Chen Lecheng: “Actually, the first to betray you wasn’t me, it was Wu Xincheng. I was just forced by circumstances.”

A few minutes later, tired of typing, they switched to video chat for playful banter.

Shu Ran laughed nonstop at their antics.

Her laughter carried outside, where Fu Yiqing, who had planned to talk with her to lighten her mood, lowered his gaze, staring at the hand resting on the door handle. Moments later, laughter from Shu Ran and her friends drifted out.

The heavy weight on Fu Yiqing’s heart lifted completely. He smiled softly, withdrew his hand, and turned back to his room.

Forty minutes later, after their playful skirmishes, Chen Lecheng finally admitted defeat, raising both hands in surrender. “Alright, alright, I’ll help you clean the ice. Happy now?”

Zhu Hongzhe: “That’s more like it. Wu Xincheng! You too — come help out.”

Wu Xincheng, still struggling, quickly changed the subject. “Shu Ran, when exactly are you coming back to the team?”

As soon as he spoke, the video chat fell completely silent.

Shu Ran could even hear how lively their surroundings were.

Chen Lecheng broke the awkwardness first with a goofy grin: “Wu Xincheng, you can’t run away!”

Wu Xincheng seemed unaware of the situation, repeating, “Shu Ran, did you hear me? The World Team Trophy is in two months this year…”

After a moment, Shu Ran noticed Shen Yu had left the chat, probably off giving Wu Xincheng some life lessons.

Fu Yiqing had asked her to keep her return a secret for now.

Her training hadn’t yet returned to its peak from nearly a year ago.

At least, it had to stay under wraps until before the 2024-2025 National Championships.

Just as Shu Ran was about to subtly shift the topic, Wu Xincheng’s voice came again: “Shen Yu, stop messaging me privately. I know you’re all worried, but the World Team Trophy is only two months away. Huihui is injured, Jiang Wanru is preparing to retire, the women’s singles need two players, and we’re still short one. If we can’t find someone, the national team will have to forfeit.”

Shu Ran’s heart tightened instinctively, but she suspected Wu Xincheng was exaggerating.

Could the women’s singles really be that short on players?

After a pause, Chen Lecheng finally spoke, “Shu Ran, since your injury is healed, why don’t you come back and help?”

Zhu Hongzhe: “Cut the nonsense, stop the moral pressure…”

Shu Ran asked, “How could there be no one? I remember there were four players promoted to the senior level after Wu Huihui.”

Chen Lecheng: “I don’t really know about that.”

After this awkward detour, the mood turned somewhat cold.

After the video chat ended, Shu Ran replied to the New Year wishes from several teammates and asked about the team’s situation.

She learned that in the two years she’d been away, the team had undergone tremendous changes.

Jiang Wanru was about to retire, and Wu Huihui was plagued by injuries.

The only confirmed female singles participant was Chen Jia, who had moved up to the senior level last year.

Her junior sister Du Yi, who had been promoted in the second half of the previous year, showed potential but never quite broke through. Due to good coaching resources at a certain club, she left the national team to represent that club.

No other players had news about participating.

This inevitably brought to mind the legendary skater who had resolutely withdrawn at the Winter Olympics.

Shu Ran.

Even Shu Ran herself thought so.

Perhaps the team was waiting for her decision.

If that was so, then the first person they must have informed was...

A golden flash seemed to pass through Shu Ran’s mind.

She whispered softly, “Coach Fu.”